An Angelic Face
by Momo Aria
Summary: When Kai asked her to move in with him, Claire didn't know how she could without her mother's consent. In the end, though, Claire made a decision about her mother. Oneshot.


" _Allow me to explain how I ran away from home and the reason why."_

Claire couldn't be any happier. Kai was with her. He came all the way from his home just to see her. This had been a perfect day for Claire. Of course, her mother, Muffy, complained as usual.

"Kai didn't even alert me that he was coming," was the start of her ranting.

Claire didn't care. She loves Kai, more so than she loves her so called job. When he came to the dorm she was staying at without warning, Claire was met with surprise. She had never expected him, and there he was, her wonderful boyfriend, dark body dressed in purple. With a smile, Claire went off with him, with her mother's approval, and they had spent the day together.

It had been perfect, just the two of them. They toured the city together. Claire was staying there with her mother for school. Originally, there were living in Forget-Me-Not Valley, a nice place, small community, with happy villagers. Then, with the money Claire earned with her online job, Muffy was able to get Claire to attend a school far away. Now, Claire was quite fine. She was happy.

Although, Kai noticed the circumstances of living in this city.

"Why don't you come to Mineral Town?"

The question popped up near the end of their date. The two were enjoying a dinner together in a restaurant. It seemed simple enough, but outside, Kai could see the lingering garbage decorating the streets, along with a homeless man lying on the ground. Much earlier, riding on a bus, Kai witnessed a man being mugged by street thugs.

"This place isn't safe for you, Claire," Kai began to explain to his girlfriend, who sat next to him, softly chewing on her food. She listened to him.

"I came here only for school," she told him. "It's not like I will be traveling in the city much."

"But what if you do go to the city?" He asked her. "You could get in trouble. I want you to be safe." He sighed and placed his arm around Claire. "Please consider coming to Mineral Town, at least for me."

Claire closed her eyes and snuggled on him. "I'll consider it" she answered.

"Thank you," he smiled and kissed her forehead.

Claire knows Kai has good intentions, but she can't just leave the city.

Especially when her mother was the one who insisted on coming here in the first place…

* * *

Claire couldn't leave Muffy in the city. After all, she was her mother. In addition, Claire did wished to continue her studies in the city.

In the end, however, Claire didn't exactly feel at home. For a start, none of her classmates like her. It made a lot of sense though, because Claire may have been too popular. She was already famous before even coming to this school. She was envied. The girls wished to be as pretty as her, but because they were nowhere near as good looking as her, they bullied her.

It was more than that, too. Muffy was a helicopter parent. The moment these girls began to bully her daughter, Muffy went straight into action. Each day, a girl that has muttered mean words to Claire was given a threat by Muffy. If they didn't leave Claire alone, Muffy would go through all means to ruin them. Since she was quite wealthy and Claire has a fanbase, it could be done.

As a result, no one does a single thing to Claire anymore. They knew what would become of them thanks to her mother. All they ever give to her now is simple hellos and at the worst, they don't acknowledge her.

Claire couldn't blame her classmates for their behavior. No one likes her because of who Claire is.

When she was thirteen, she started an account on a video viewing site. At first, it had been simple videos of her dancing, fooling around, and sharing her interests in Japanese culture. As it happened, her mother reluctantly allowed her to do so. Soon, Muffy chose to get involved. Claire was to do makeup tutorials and take seductive photos of herself in her videos. It didn't matter how uncomfortable Claire was with this. It was Muffy's decision, and Claire couldn't refuse.

Of course, some good came out of it. Claire became famous and earned a following of people. In addition, Kai found her and began to watch her, wanting to know everything about her. Throughout the five years he has seen her, he learned so much about her and watch her posts every Claire finally came to Mineral Town for an interview, Kai met her in person, and Claire fell in love with him immediately.

The two became a couple very quickly, and both were described to be very sweet to each other. Kai had also appeared in Claire's photos and videos online as her loving boyfriend. In the surface, Muffy seemed lenient to the happy couple.

Behind the scenes, Muffy coldly criticized the two, and she told her friends harsh words about Kai.

"He is always trying to touch her without her consent."

"I've seen him tell his friends that Claire has a nice ass."

"I hear he works at some poor shack in town. What a shame."

"Those kisses he gives to Claire look awful. I'm sure Claire wants to vomit from those kisses."

"Those presents he gives her looks so bland and unappealing. Claire must hate them."

"He took her to the shack for a date! How dull!"

"The man is years older than her. He should be with a woman near his age. Claire is still quite young."

"He's always stalking her and liking every single thing she does."

"He's exactly like my daughter. He doesn't have a personality."

This was mostly gossip. Kai being years older than Claire is not false, and he does like everything Claire does, but he's been so sweet to her that Claire couldn't find any disinterest towards him. The two started dating when Claire was sixteen. Two years later, they were still wishing to be together, but Kai couldn't leave his home and quit his job at the shack in Mineral Town.

Claire couldn't just leave her mother either, but she could at least try to talk to her.

* * *

"Mother," Claire spoke softly.

"What is it?" Muffy asked while putting away clothes in the dresser.

"I had fun with Kai yesterday," the young woman told her mother while looking out the window. Soft raindrops continue to fall.

"I'm sure you did," Muffy answered. "He's your boyfriend after all." Muffy smiled softly while folding a shirt on her lap.

"Hey, mother," Claire found the courage to ask her mother the question. "Would it be okay," she began slowly and carefully, "if I can live in Mineral Town with Kai?" There was soft movement that Claire could hear from Muffy, but after asking that question, there was silence for a moment.

"Why?" Muffy questioned, and her smile dropped. Claire could feel a dark aura growing out of her mother.

"Well," Claire tried to explain carefully. "Kai cares really deeply for me, and he wants me to be safe."

"How about your studies? You wanted to come to this school."

"That's true, but, when you think about it, it's not very important."

At last, Muffy stood up, and she turned to her daughter with a fierce glare. "You only want to leave because Kai destroyed your mind!"

Claire's eyes slowly widened. "It's not like that, mother," Claire spoke with a bit of panic laced in her voice.

"Let me tell you, my daughter," Muffy spoke coldly as she walked towards her child. "That Kai brainwashed you. He uses his sweetness to get everything he wants."

"What?" Claire couldn't believe what her mother was saying. "It's not like that. Kai isn't like that."

"And Kai is a pedophile, Claire. Kai has been obsessed with you since you were a young girl, and he always wanted to get in your pants."

Claire was shaking. "It's not like that," she said those words a third time.

"And he is a factory worker in his hometown, and he's probably cheating on you with other girls."

"Stop it, mother!"

Claire couldn't keep it in anymore, and for the first time in her life, she yelled at her mother. Muffy stood right in front of her, and she stood still, shocked at her daughter's outburst. Then, Muffy clenched her dress and spoke coldly.

"I will delete your account, Claire."

Claire looked up to her mother, and her eyes widen upon taking in her words.

"If you dare disobey me and tell me you want to be with Kai, I will delete all of your accounts online." Then, Muffy bent down, bringing her face closer to her daughter's. "And if you leave with him, you will be ruined. He will leave you, you'll be forced out of town to an unknown city, and you'll be left homeless and working as a prostitute."

Muffy turned and walked away, returning to her task at putting the clothes away. Claire sat there, taking in her mother's words.

* * *

 _"Mama?"_

 _"What is it?"_

 _"I have enough."_

 _"What do you mean?"_

 _Muffy sat in her chair near her coffee table, drinking out of her mug when her fourteen year old daughter. Claire was in front of her, wearing a rather poofy dress she didn't really care for, but her mother insisted she wear it. "It's the best outfit for you," she says. "And it will attract viewers to your video."_

 _"I really don't wanna wear these dresses and act cute on camera all the time," Claire slowly confessed her feelings._

 _"Eh?"_

 _Muffy placed her mug on the table and looked at her daughter._

 _"Are you trying to hurt your mother?"_

 _"What?" Claire was surprised. "No, mama."_

 _"Do you not love your mother anymore?" She asked with a rather dramatic tone, and she grabbed a knife next to her, the one she had used to cut her bread earlier. "After everything I have done for you, you just want to hurt me..."_

 _"I'm not saying that," Claire tried to explain, and Muffy stood up, taking steps back, knife grasped in her hand._

 _"Everything I'm doing, it's done by love, and yet my own daughter... maybe it'd be best if I die."_

 _Claire's eyes widen slowly. "I'm not saying that!" Then suddenly, Muffy threw her arm back, the one holding the knife, and she flung it forward, releasing the sharp item. Very quickly, Claire ducked down, and the knife went passed her. It stabbed the painting behind her, completely missing the young girl._

 _It had been the first time Claire tried to go against her mother, and she was sure it will be the last time._

* * *

"Can you believe him!?"

Claire was sitting at her table, completing her studies while Muffy spoke to her friend through the phone. Honestly, Claire did not want to hear this conversation, as it concerned Kai.

"That man is a pedophile. He had always kept his eyes on Claire when she was fourteen, and he's quite older than her. He's a factory worker who thinks he deserves my daughter. Let me tell you, he completely brainwashed her, telling her she's special and the only one for him. I'm sure he's cheating on her right now, and let's not forget that he's a psychopath. All pedophiles are psychopaths after all."

Claire wanted to say something to her mother. She wanted to at least stop what she was doing. Indeed, Kai is a few years older than her, and yes, he works in a factory in his home from the fall until the spring, and he spends his summers in Mineral Town, working at the shack. He works average, but Claire has been okay with that. Muffy wishes for a better husband for Claire, someone with money. Claire doesn't believe in marrying for money. She rather earn her money together with Kai.

As Muffy spoke nasty about Kai to her friend, Claire opened her phone and saw she received a message from Kai.

"Your mother shouldn't control you anymore. This is your life, Claire. You're eighteen years old now. Take control of your life. Do what will make you happy, even if your mother disagrees with it. She'll learn she has to let go eventually."

"Mother, I'm going outside," Claire spoke loudly for her mother to hear.

"Be careful," Muffy called out to her daughter.

Leaving her dorm room, Claire took steps into the hallway leading to the courtyard outside. No one was out as the weather was quite cold. The yard was a clear white wonderland to her. Walking in the snow, Claire pondered.

Kai was right, no matter how Claire looked at it. She is indeed an adult and she shouldn't be relying on her mother anymore.

But then, it seemed Muffy wouldn't like it if Claire had went and left her.

At the same time, Claire had realized, Muffy seemed to never want her daughter to leave.

* * *

"If you became a mother, would you hit your child?"

Several months ago, Kai and Claire were spending time together before the latter left for her studies in the city with her mother. To kill time while waiting for their meal at a diner, Kai unexpectedly asked her that question.

"I would think it's okay," Claire answered honestly.

"What? Why?" Kai asked in surprise.

Noticing the tone in his voice, Claire realized she had said something wrong. "Um," she stuttered, unsure of what to say. "I thought it's okay, is it not?"

"Of course it's not okay!" Kai blurted out. "It's never okay to hit your children."

"It isn't?" Claire was baffled. "I thought it's okay. I thought I deserved to get hit. I thought I was educated."

"What?" Kai listened to his girlfriend's words. "Your mother _hit you?"_ Claire nodded. Kai sighed. "Claire, it's never okay to hit your own children," this was all he could say. He couldn't express his opinion on Muffy because she was Claire's mother and Claire loves her after all.

Since that day, Claire realized it. She never really deserved to be hit. All those times, it was for something Muffy simply didn't like. If Claire refused to wear the clothes her mother picked out for her, she was smacked. If the young girl was screaming from a nightmare, Muffy would grab her and smack, scolding her for ruining her beauty sleep. If Claire didn't want to commit to a video idea because it had seemed quite inappropriate for her, Muffy would get upset and complain on how disobedient Claire is.

Standing in the snow, Claire realized it all along.

She now knows what she wants, but she can't do it if her mother keeps her chained.

* * *

When she went to class, Claire took along two of her mother's phones. She didn't focus in class, not that it really mattered. No one bothered to deal with Claire anymore. When the school day ended, Claire came home earlier than usual, skipping any clubs she was in. Muffy was not home yet. With the two phones, Claire unlocked and opened her mother's online accounts. It didn't take a genius to figure out what to do. Claire changed all the passwords, and when that was done, she disconnected her accounts from her mother's since they were connected together.

This way, Claire is safe. Muffy won't have access to Claire's accounts anymore.

At night, Muffy had left to a party she was invited to. Claire was left home as she has school the next day. When Muffy was well out of the dorm, Claire grabbed a suitcase and packed it with only the most important things. Grabbing the money her mother has given her a week prior, Claire left the dorm with her suitcase. Grabbing a cab, Claire was taken to the airport. There, Claire saw the times of the flight, and finding the flight time to Kai's home, Claire bought her ticket. It took only two hours until it was time to leave.

Boarding the train, Claire didn't turn back once.

* * *

 **AN: After writing vocaloid fanfics, I asked people if my next oneshot should be vocaloid or something else, and they suggested I try something different, so I used Harvest Moon characters for this fanfic. In addition, rather than being based on a song, it's based on an actual situation that occurred to someone. I hope you enjoyed this. Please review!**


End file.
